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Endoscopic Ultrasound



 Submitted by Nic on March 15, 2011
Modern medicine has combined two popular diagnostic techniques known as endoscopy and ultrasonography to create an endoscopic ultrasound. Endoscopy involves introducing a thin, long flexible tube from the mouth into the digestive tract to study the internal organs such as the food pipe, the stomach, and so on. The tube may be inserted from the rectum to examine the walls of the intestines for any obstructions, tumors, inflammation, and other such conditions. Ultrasonography beams high frequency sound waves on an internal organ using a transducer placed on the skin above the organ, and uses the waves to create an image of the organ. However, these images are often not good enough. By fitting a transducer at the inserted end of the endoscope, an endoscopic ultrasound gives physicians a closer and more accurate and detailed image of the organ in question.

Endoscopic ultrasounds are being extensively used in the detection and treatment of cancer in the food pipe, stomach, pancreas, and colon. Obstructions in the bile duct, pancreatic duct, and gallstones in the gall bladder can also be visualized easily thanks to this technique. The use of endoscopic ultrasound equipment requires extensive training and care, but it is a minimally invasive and cost effective way of gathering information on the internal condition of the body. Based on endoscopic ultrasound indications, surgeons can call for a biopsy in the case of suspected tumors or enlarged lymph nodes. Using a fine needle guided by ultrasound, an endoscopic ultrasound biopsy may be performed, extracting a tissue sample from a suspected tumor or a swollen lymph node.

Depending on whether the upper of the lower part of the gastrointestinal tract needs to be examined, the gastroenterologist can use the appropriate endoscopic ultrasound CPT code for the upper or lower gastrointestinal tract. Gastroenterologists may opt for an ERCP test or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatogram (ERCP) using an endoscope with X- ray images to examine the pancreatic duct and the bile duct that opens into the duodenum. It is particularly useful in patients with pancreatic malignancies.

Possible endoscopic ultrasound complications include a tear in the walls of the intestine as well as bleeding at the site of the biopsy where a needle is inserted to obtain a sample of the tissue or tumor.  Given the fact that it is an extremely quick and relatively less painful way of obtaining a sample for biopsy, most patients and doctors seem to prefer endoscopic ultrasound over traditional procedures.
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